Butanolamine salts of theophylline



Patented July 16, 1946 BUTANOLAMINE SALTS OF THEOPHYLLINE,

Robert S. Shelton, Mariemont, Ohio, assignor to The Wm. S. Merrell Company, Reading, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application June 28, 1941, Serial No. 400,345

3 Claims. 1 This invention relates to new derivatives of theophylline, and more particularly to the theophylline butanolamines, which have important advantages for therapeutic use, i. e., the adminis- 2 following specific example, but it is not limited thereto.

Example-Preparation of the 2-amino-2- methyl-l-propanol salt of theophylline. Equitration of theophylline. They are extremely 5 molecular proportions of theophylline and 2-amiwater-soluble, well tolerated and quite free from no-2-methyl-1-propano1 are dissolved in water side reactions when administered. and the water is evaporated until crystallization Theophylline is an important therapeutic is almost complete. The crystals are filtered off, agent, largely used for certain heart conditions. and dried. The product has a melting point of Theophylline itself is very slightly soluble in wa- 254-256 C., softening at 245 C. It has a water ter, and is customarily used in the form of a salt. solubility of about 55%. It may be compounded Aminophyllin, the water-soluble compound of in the form of tablets, for oral administration, or theophylline with ethylene diamine, is very widely may be prepared in solution, for distribution in used, but even this product has relatively limampoules. For the manufacture of solutions for ited water solubility. Furthermore, tablets of packaging in ampoules, it is more convenient to this product discolor very quickly, and solutions simply dissolve the theophylline and the butanol of it, distributed in ampoules, frequently precipiamine in water, without going through the intate theophylline. Other salts of theophylline, termediate step of separating the crystalline salt. such as the piperizine salts, the ethanolamine Thus, for example, for preparing an ampoule so- Salts and the is p Danolamine salts have been lution containing .48 gram of the salt for each oposed, but have never been as widely u d as 2 cc. of water, for packaging in ampoules, it is Aminoplrlyllinsimply necessary to dissolve 100 grams of the- In accordance with the present invention, the ophylline and 4 grams of 2 a,mjn -2..methy1 1 mp un s of t ph n with the butanolpropanol in sufiicient ampoule water to make 600 ammfes, and particularly z'ammmbuta'noluand cc. of solution, filter the solution and fill it into 1 propanol are Provlded- 2 cc. ampoules. These ampoules may then be These salts are extremely water-soluble, the 2- sterilized by heating at C. for minutes 7 z'methyt'l'propanol salt havmg 50111 for three consecutive days, or in other approprib1l1ty 1n the neighborhood of 55% of Water. In ate ways" They form a Very convenient Way f addition to this property of extreme water solu- 30 administering theophylline Vparentemny The blhty the new comPounds are In tabtet solutions are stable, and do not precipitate theform, they do not discolor as does Aminophylhn, and solutions for example in ampoules do not ophynme on standmg' precipitate theophylline, even though concen- The 'i 'i Salt of the 0. example is a part1cularly valuable salt of thetrated beyond any concentration heretofore used 00 ophyllme for therapeutic purposes. The 2-am1- with the known compounds of theophylline,

- nobutanol salt, which is readily prepared 1n the The new compounds are readily prepared, for

a same way, also exh1b1ts the h1gh water solubihty, example, by dissolving equimolecular proportions t bTt nd fre do from discoloration and of theophylline and the amino-butanol in water S f g m d b1 and evaporating until crystallization is almost 40 deve opment 0 o ors W 10h are 851m B m complete. Purification by recrystallization is difficult, because of hydrolysis, but by following the procedure described, the new salts are readily prepared as white crystalline substances of fixed composition, stable at ordinary temperatures, and which do not decompose, discolor or develop odors. Also, these crystalline materials are non-hygroscopic, and accordingly, are of further value for distribution in the form of tablets.

The new derivatives may be administered orally or parenterally. They are comparatively well tolerated and quite free from undesirable side efiects.

The invention will be further illustrated by the therapeutic product.

Other butanolamine salts, such as the salt of theophylline with tris-(hydroxymethyl) -amino-methane and hydroxyethyl-ethylene-diamine may be prepared in similar 7 prepared for use as a therapeutic.

3. The theophylline salt of 2-methyl-2-aminopropanol-l prepared for use as a therapeutic agent.

1 ROBERT S. SHELTON. 

